(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a quick hitch apparatus that facilitates the coupling of a vehicle to a trailer. In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus that is connected between a vehicle and trailer, and is used to facilitate the alignment of a hitch ball connected to the vehicle with a hitch coupling of the trailer.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Conventional trailer hitch assemblies used in towing recreational trailers such as mobile homes, campers, and boat trailers, and used in towing utility trailers, are generally comprised of a hitch ball that is securely attached to the rearward end of the towing vehicle, and a hitch coupler that is securely attached to a forward end of a tongue assembly extending from the trailer. Often, the hitch ball of a conventional hitch assembly is mounted on a tow bar, and the tow bar is slidably received in a receiver channel that is secured to the vehicle. The tow bar is releasably secured in the receiver channel when the vehicle is towing a trailer, and is removed from the channel and stored when not in use. However, for the most part, the two component parts of a conventional trailer hitch assembly are fixedly secured to either the tow vehicle or the trailer, and are not capable of being moved relative to the tow vehicle or trailer to which they are secured.
This arrangement of the conventional trailer hitch assembly presents some difficulty for some in positioning the vehicle relative to the trailer to enable coupling the trailer hitch coupler to the hitch ball of the vehicle. Coupling the trailer to the vehicle requires the vehicle operator to back the vehicle to an exact position where the hitch ball will be positioned directly below the hitch coupler of the trailer. In some trailer hitch assemblies, this backing operation is made even more difficult by the vehicle operator's view of the trailer hitch coupler being obstructed by the back end of the vehicle as the vehicle is backed close to the hitch coupler. A second observer is often needed to give directions to the operator of the vehicle as he reverses the vehicle and attempts to position the hitch ball beneath the hitch coupler of the trailer. If a second person to observe the backing operation is not available, the operator of the vehicle must then reverse the vehicle to position the hitch ball as close as possible to the hitch coupler of the trailer, and then must manually move the trailer to position the hitch coupler directly above the hitch ball to effect the coupling of the trailer to the vehicle. With moderately sized trailers, manually moving the trailer to position the hitch coupler is very difficult. With larger sized trailers, it may be impossible to manually move the trailer to position the hitch coupler above the hitch ball.
A variety of trailer hitch assemblies have been developed to overcome the difficulties associated with conventional trailer hitch assemblies. Some of these modified trailer hitch assemblies include either a hitch ball or a trailer hitch coupler that are extended telescopically from the respective vehicle or trailer, and are then capable of swinging laterally from side to side to facilitate the positioning of the ball or coupler. Examples of these modified hitch assemblies are illustrated in the patents to Harms, U.S. Pat. No. 3,378,280; Marler, U.S. Pat. No. 3,612,576; Lyons, U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,267; and Glades, U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,153. A disadvantage associated with each of these modified trailer hitch assemblies is that they are comprised of elaborate assemblies that are attached to either the vehicle or the trailer to be towed. These elaborate assemblies in turn are comprised of many specialized component parts that add to the weight of the assemblies, and add to the cost of the trailer hitch assemblies overall.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a quick hitch vehicle and trailer coupling apparatus that makes extensive use of existing materials and component parts of conventional trailer hitch assemblies, and is accordingly inexpensive to manufacture.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a quick hitch vehicle and trailer coupling apparatus that is light weight and is easily manipulated by a single person, and is completely separable from the tow vehicle and trailer when not in use.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a quick hitch vehicle and trailer coupling apparatus that is quickly and easily attached between a vehicle and a trailer, and is easily employed to properly align the vehicle and trailer to facilitate the coupling of the trailer to the vehicle.